SHOOTING sports inside June 28, 2024
Texas’ Largest Hunting and Fishing Newspaper Since 2004
Shooting Sports texas AN N UAL 2 024
Finding your sport through shooting PAGE 8
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Volume 20, Issue 21
Red snapper limits come easy By Nate Skinner
For Lone Star Outdoor News
The stamp on a bag of deer corn caught the eye of a hunter stopping by a feed store. From the State Chemist Office, the stamp had a six-digit number and included “One Sample Strategy.” The stamp has been there for a while, possibly going unnoticed, said Cord Mumme, of Mumme’s in Hondo. “It’s part of the state program to limit aflatoxin,” Mumme said. “Any load that comes in after harvest, we test for aflatoxin. It has to be under 20 parts per billion. We don’t bag it if it’s more than that. The sixdigit number is our lab number.” On bulk loads, the stamp is included on the outgoing grain ticket. “Then the people will know the corn has been tested,” Mumme said. Mumme’s requires all corn producers it contracts with apply Afla-Guard, a natural biocontrol agent, to reduce aflatoxin contamination levels. “It’s become part of the farming practice now,” said Mumme’s Wildlife Specialist Lance Cote. “Producers have to apply it on all acreage, it helps a ton on keeping the aflatoxin down. That’s why they all spray it.” The One Sample Strategy is a voluntary
Limits of red snapper have been coming fairly easily from anglers running offshore out of Port Aransas and up the coast out of Galveston. Most, though, have been disappointed in the quality of snapper they have been catching. Reports have consisted mostly of fish just larger than the minimum size limit of 16 inches, with few fish 10-15 pounds or larger being caught. Some anglers are contemplating whether or not this is a result of commercial fishing vessels harvesting large numbers of bigger fish before the recreational red snapper season commenced. Jesse Drewa recently targeted red snapper while fishing offshore aboard the Pelican, a charter vessel out of Deep Sea Headquarters in Port Aransas. Drewa said the 28 anglers on the boat were all able to box their limit of snapper. Of the 56 snapper that were retained, only a handful were pushing 10-15 pounds. The rest measured just above the minimum size limit of 16 inches. “We ran north out of Port Aransas, and were only about 15 miles or so out off of the beach, according to the captain of the boat,” Drewa said. “We fished three different spots in 120 to 130 feet of water. There were five or six fish caught that weighed 10 pounds or more.” Drewa ended up catching the largest red snapper on the boat during his trip. The fish was just shy of 15 pounds. Most of the snapper were caught on whole or cut menhaden. David Blackwell ran offshore out of Galveston with some buddies, and they ended up as far as 87 miles east of the jetties. They fished 15 different spots, including wrecks and rock piles in 70 to 80 feet of water, to catch their limit. “We had three snapper that weighed about 14 pounds, and the rest were smaller,” he said. “In total, we probably caught about 150 fish just to be able to retain our limit. There were a ton of undersized fish.” Blackwell said the largest snapper that they caught hit Snapper Slapper jigs. “We are used to catching red snapper in the 18-
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A stamp on a bag of corn, also used on receipts for purchases of bulk corn, informs buyers that the corn has been approved as containing acceptable levels of aflatoxin. Photo by David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News.
What’s that on the bag of corn? By Craig Nyhus
Lone Star Outdoor News
Red snapper have been abundant offshore, but sizeable fish have been more difficult to locate. Photo by David J. Sams, Lone Star Outdoor News.
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID DALLAS, TX PERMIT 3814
Spring rains promising for deer By Nate Skinner
A wet spring is good news for deer antler growth and fawn survival in most areas of the state. Photo by Joe Richards. Freshwater Fishing Report . . Page 10 Game Warden Blotter . . . . . Page 12 Heroes . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 14 Sun, Moon & Tides . . . . . . Page 16 Saltwater Fishing Report . . . Page 21 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . Page 22 Datebook . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 22
INSIDE
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For Lone Star Outdoor News Spring rainfall is the largest factor influencing fawn crops, antler growth and the overall health and population of deer herds across the state. This year, the news is good for deer. “Much-needed rain from March through early June of this year has led to over 50 percent of the state experiencing
no drought conditions, and an additional 23 percent considered to be only abnormally dry during this time period,” said Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s White-tailed Deer Program Leader Blaise Korzekwa. “The Edwards Plateau has been the unfortunate bullseye of drought conditions this year. Areas spanning from southwest Texas to the Trans-Pecos have also struck Please turn to page 6
HUNTING
FISHING
Swindling hunters (P. 4)
First big storm (P. 8)
African “outfitter” on the run.
Alberto brings heavy rain, high tides.
Carcass regs revised (P. 4)
Hooked on fishing (P. 8)
Deboning at harvest site encouraged.
Guide’s passion starts at age 5.